The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-22
INTERESI'INGsDEBATE.
M THE SENATE YESTERDAY.
Plumb Delivers tsiedge.Inmmer Blows
from the Shoulder at tho President.
Fixing tho Responsibility Of Non.Lsg.
islation whore It Properly Belongs.

Fixing tho Responsibility Of Non.Lsg.
islation whore It Properly Belongs,
WAsnlSaros, D. O., Dec. 2l.-Mr
spooner offered resolution in the eenalt
to-day, which was adopted, instructlng the
Committee on Privileges and Elections te
inquire into the expedlency Of the adop
ton by the Senate (tor the guidance Of the
executivea Of the several states) Of a form
Of credentials Of the election Of United
statos Senators. n, !. ~, NJ
The resolution recently offered BY Mr.
Book directs tho Poa!offics Committee to
inquire into the advisability Of reducing
the rate Of letter postage to one cent, was
referred to that committee. u
Mr.. Allison called up tho holiday rrcess
revolution, and moved Ito adoption.
Mr.. Plumb, aaid lie would vote against
the resolution because he thought that tho
proposed rec6ss was against the public In.
forest. Congresa would bs in seusion till
the dog days and during the latter part Of
the aeesion the country would be in the
midst OF heated Presidential canysss,
There was no reason why members OF
Congress should go home for tho holidays,
In fact, that was q mere pyeteuce. Not
one member In dozsn at least OF those
living weat of the Ohio river would 70
home during the holidays. He referred
to Mr.. Pugh's resolution that Congress
should no. adjourn until action was taken
for the disposal Of the surplua In the
treasury and said he did not ngreo with the
Preaidentin many Of his atatements in the
late annual message and did not at all
agree with him in saying that
the responsibility OF non.action
In the matter OF the surplus would rest on
Congress. For his own part, he would be
glad to remsin In Washington during tho
holidays and le2islata on the subject Of
the surplus, but not with any aeuso ofthat
responsibility Of Congress which the
President had set forth. The primary 70.
sponsibili' y for the present condition Of
the Treasury he thought with the PresI-
dent Of the United States, who totally
aiaregarded the law which required him,
practically, to spend the surplus in the
purchase OF the national debt. The Pres.
idents excuse for not doing 80 was that
the provision OF law WAS found in an ap-
preparation bill, and was therefore lin the
Presidents opinion) merely o temporary
expsdient. :.
The President in his message had omit.
ted to state
ONE IMPORTANT TACT,
which was that the last Congress passed q
law requiring him sttirmativsly to pay ten
millions month in the discharge OF the
public debt, and that the President had
put that billiu his pocket, thu1 preventing
its becoming law.
Mr.. Beck remarked that the President
had pald the money out even ias!er than
the bill required.
Mr.. Plumb regarded that ss only another
way the President had for saying that he
thought he could DO bstter himself than
Congress knew how to tell him. The
Senator from Mieaouri (geat) had made
the weIki1 ring all over bis State In de.
nunciation of the national banks 60 the
vampires .hss were sucking the suos.ancs
of the people. He wondered whether that
Senator did not smile to himself (beh;nd
the door psrhapy) when he saw a Demo-
cratic President bring with him into his
administration, as Secretary OF the Treas.
ury, the president Of national bank and
appoint as Treasurer OF the United
States, tho cashier Of another national
bank. Tho President had forgotten to
tSis note OF the fac. that tho River and
Herbot bill, which appropriated soma
$li, 900, 600 had failed, not because OF any
lack Of action by Congress. a deficiency
bill covering over S8.0O0,00O, had also fail.
ed lsst seseion because Of the neglect Of
t: 9 Democratic majority in tho House of
Representatives,, snd these two gums,
would have made very comfortable ad-
dition to the current funds Of the people
OF the United STAKES st this juncsure. He
TPluub] never did eg'es with the Republi-
can policy of the Treasury Department;
but that policy at least was consistent and
Nss not under suspicion Of being unduly
Influenced by the New York banks.
AWAY TO CUT DOWN THE SURPLUS.
It was within the competency Of Con-
gress tossy that the surplus revenues Of
Government should be applied to the
extinction OF the National debt until
every dollar of 1t was extinguishsd--the
views OF the President to the contrary not
withstanding.
Ar. Beck said he did not proposs to 20
into debate in regard to the Presidents
policy on resolution for a holiday ad-
iournment. Ho assumed that the resolu-
ton would prevail. Such q Teccss was
usual and he did not know any exception
to it. 5.s. .5 z
He could not understand why tho Sen
ate should now on a motion like that 20
into discussion as to the Presidents
policy, Ehen they would hays al next
year for 1t, But there were some things
which the country ought to know in con.
nectlon with. the statement made by the
Senator from Kansas. The Senator had
not told the country that the policy of the
Republican party, by imposing and main.
tanning unnecessarily high taxation had
prolonged the treasury eurplus and that
that psme party was determined to head
1t there, or to waists II In such Bchsnes as
tho Republican party might desire.
The Senator had not told the country
that tho Republican party had go adjusted
tho debts oi the United States that they
could not be paiG With tho money thus
brought by shigh taxation into the treas.